The present invention relates in general to a computer assisted virtual paint application process and method of use, and more particularly, to a novel application, process, and method of optimally applying a user desired paint color, scheme, and/or graphics to a computer image of a desired vehicle in order to determine the look of said vehicle on a computer screen prior to actually physically painting said vehicle. The art of the present invention also applies to and functions with numerous other physical objects which are capable of capture via a digital image such as a house or boat.
This present invention represents a unique method and process for virtually applying paint colors, paint fades, and graphics to an object displayed on a computer prior to physically applying the aforementioned. The method and process is especially useful for evaluation of various paint color schemes, combinations, and graphics on various types of vehicles prior to actual physical application of the aforesaid. The method and process is implemented with the apparatus of a computer and the computer code or software of the present art. The method and process is also capable of operation over the internet when hosted by a server computer.
The apparatus, in a preferred embodiment, allows a user to preview different paint colors on a variety of vehicles. (i.e. cars, trucks, motorcycles, etc.) In a preferred embodiment, said paint colors represent industry standard colors which are commercially available. It also enables the user to preview color combinations such as fades where two colors are on the same vehicle. In addition, the user can add multiple layer graphics to the vehicle. These graphics include flames, two tones, pinstripes and other miscellaneous graphics. Once a graphic has been selected the user can manipulate the size, rotational angle, and position of the graphic to create a limitless number of custom paint designs. The apparatus program also features a hand draw section where the user can actually draw a graphic on the vehicle. Once completed, the on-screen graphic design can be printed with the computer and together with the industry paint color(s) defined may be utilized as a reference by the physical painter.
A technical difficulty encountered with prior art attempts at virtual paint applications is proper rendering of shadows and highlights on the source image when a different virtual paint color is applied to the source image. Prior art attempts have unsuccessfully applied a user desired color to an existing source image only to substantially or completely eliminate the surface features of the object depicted in the source. Said surface features typically are represented by shadows or highlights of the original color. The present art process, apparatus, and method preserves the shadows and highlights and further removes original color remnants in order that the user may obtain a realistic representation of the source object with a new and user selected paint color or graphic application.
The computer software or files of the preferred embodiment of the present art is created using two programs, Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia Flash MX. The vehicle image which requires virtual painting as captured in a digital form is first manipulated by the computer utilizing a photo editing program such as Adobe Photoshop, Corel Photo Paint or equivalent. Using multiple layers the highlights and shadows are separated by the photo editing program. Mask tools within said photo editing software are used to eliminate any unpaintable parts of the vehicle (i.e. tires, mirrors etc.) These layers are preferably saved as .SWF or .PNG files for import into Macromedia Flash MX. Once the layers are imported into Flash MX they are used to create the color, graphics, and hand draw ability. Both Adobe Photoshop and Macromedia Flash MX are capable of running on multiple computer platforms utilizing multiple operating systems including but not limited to Microsoft Windows, Apple operating systems, and Unix. The aforesaid is further shown and described in the Figures. Alternative embodiments may utilize other photo editing software packages other than Adobe Photoshop, provided said software allows for multiple layer placement of various vehicle portions.
Once the aforesaid layers are defined, the aforesaid files are processable by the Macromedia Flash MX player program. For use with vehicle virtual painting, in Macromedia Flash MX, the user first selects the type of vehicle which he/she desires to apply paint and graphics to. The aforesaid is performed by mouse clicking the load vehicle tab as seen in the Figures and then selecting from the pop up menu as presented in the Figures. The user then virtually selects and applies the basecoat and topcoat paints as shown in the Figures. The user may select types of topcoats from a pop-up menu as shown in the Figures. The user may also select fade position, width, and rotation for the aforesaid virtual paint application. If the user desires to utilize the fade options, the user chooses the fade paint colors which are desired and sets the mask for said colors. The user may then rotate, position, and adjust the size of various fade positions. All of the aforesaid are applied to one or more layers which were originally defined and deemed paintable during the Adobe Photoshop or equivalent operation.
Unique to the present art is the method of creating the aforesaid layers for processing by Macromedia Flash MX or equivalent in order to accurately represent shadows and highlights. The vehicle of interest is first typically provided with a background in a Jepeg or similar image format. A color layer, onto which the user's desired color is placed, is then placed above the original image. A matte shape layer of the paintable portions of the vehicle or object is then typically created manually by carefully tracing the colored portions of the vehicle and placing said matte shape layer above the aforesaid color layer. This matte layer creates a hole or see through template which may be used to filter all but the object color portions and allow the aforesaid color layer to show through, yet also allows the background to show through. A black shadow layer utilizing an inverted grayscale rendition of the area to be painted is then added above the color layer and between the first matte shape layer to create shadows. A solid white highlight layer is then added between the aforesaid black shadow layer and the matte shape layer with a non-inverted grayscale rendition of the area to be painted to create highlights. The contrast or threshold of the aforesaid mattes are adjusted to provide the desired shadow and highlight effects. Also, a desaturation layer is placed above the aforesaid to remove reflection remnants of the original color. Those skilled in Adobe Photoshop or an equivalent understand that absolute black matte portions represent areas through which the underlying images are visible and absolute white matte portions are areas through which the underlying images are blocked with the grayscale between the aforesaid absolutes providing opacity therebetween.
The aforesaid layer collection, without the color layer, is saved as a single layer in a Macromedia Flash format such as an .SWF file for export to and use with the Macromedia Flash Player. The Flash Player places user desired colors, stripes, graphics, etc. under the aforesaid layer collection, i.e. as the color layer, which are then seen through the aforesaid matte layers created with Photopaint or equivalent. The original .SWF file acts as a filter which allows a new chosen color placement only on the object desired and also preserves the shadows and highlights on the original object.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and process for virtual paint application which in a preferred embodiment is capable of allowing a user to virtually apply paint colors or graphics to an object, i.e. vehicle, house, boat, etc., and observe the look of said object without the need to physically paint said object.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and process for virtual paint application which utilizes easily obtainable and commercially available photo editing software for implementation and easily obtainable and commercially available authoring environment software for user interface.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a method and process for virtual paint application which may be utilized remotely over a network, including the internet, through player software such as Macromedia Flash or an equivalent.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a method and process for virtual paint application which allows a user to especially design a vehicle or other object color and graphics scheme, print the design, and provide said print to a painter for application to the physical object.